5.29.2011

Your efforts will be rewarded

Listen, I know it’s a holiday weekend. Most of you are probably outside, grilling or picnicking or generally engaged in some form of early-summer eating. In fact, as I type this, I can hear my neighbors on their deck, shaking a bag of charcoal briquettes, talking about Neil Diamond. But what I would like to tell them (aside from, HAVE MERCY! NO NEIL DIAMOND TONIGHT!), and you, too, is this: do your future self a favor and go inside and cook a pot of rice.

Also, do whatever you have to do to get some Napa cabbage kimchi. Come midweek, your efforts will be rewarded.

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get around to writing about kimchi fried rice. I learned how to make it more than a year ago, in early 2010, when my friend Matthew and I taped the first episode of our podcast, Spilled Milk. The topic of the show that day was fried eggs, and Matthew made this rice to serve with them, to sop up the yolks. (We tape at Matthew’s place, almost always over lunch.) In the 17 or so months since, I’ve probably made kimchi fried rice close to 17 times. I know that fried rice is supposed to be about using up leftover rice, but I don’t let that slow me down: I now make rice for the sole purpose of making kimchi fried rice. Did it just the other day. And seeing as this blog is the place where I put my best stuff, I thought it was time to finally record it here, to file it as a Keeper.

I am not any kind of expert on fried rice, and I don’t think Matthew thinks of himself that way, either - though he’s welcome to correct me, if he does. But I’ve eaten kimchi fried rice in a couple of restaurants in the past few months, and the version that Matthew taught me is still my favorite. It begins with bacon, which you cook slowly, so that it gives off a nice amount of fat - that fat is important in fried rice - and then you add some chopped Napa cabbage kimchi (the riper, the better). When the kimchi is hot and beginning to look a little wilty at the edges, you add cooked rice, preferably a day or two old, the rice you’re going to make today. And into that, a few minutes later, you stir a little sesame oil and butter. Kimchi and butter are crazy for each other. It’s really spectacular, what happens to the sharp funk and sting of fermented cabbage when it shakes the smoothing hand of butter. Spectacular. So you’ve got that, plus the fragrant sesame oil, the bacon, and the rice, and a bowl, and it’s hard to imagine needing anything else, ever, in the entire universe - except maybe some sesame seeds and sliced scallions, for garnish.

I pick up kimchi whenever I’m near a Korean market or Uwajimaya, but Ballard Market, my neighborhood grocery store, also carries it. They sell a couple of different brands, but I usually buy Island Spring. It’s made about half an hour away, on Vashon Island, and it has good flavor and heat. Matthew, however, makes his own kimchi, and it’s fantastic. Maybe he’ll teach me how someday. David Lebovitz also has a recipe for it.

As for rice, the best type for this recipe is Calrose, a medium-grain, Japanese-style white rice from California. But I’ve also used Thai jasmine rice, which is nice - though when you fry it, it tends to stick aggressively to the pan. Whatever you use, cook it a day or two ahead, cool it, and chill it. If possible, allow it to come to room temperature before frying.

About the pan: if you have a well-seasoned wok, use it. Or, if you’re stuck with just a heavy skillet and an electric range, as I am, that’s okay. I use my largest cast-iron pan. It’s nicely seasoned, but the rice still sticks a bit. It’s annoying, but not annoying enough to keep me from making fried rice. (Just put some hot water in the pan when you’re finished, soak briefly, and the stuck rice will come right out.) One word of warning: I wouldn’t use a nonstick pan. The coating isn’t safe for use over high heat.

Oh, and if I were you, I might fry two eggs per person. But it’s really up to you.

Put the bacon in a large skillet or wok, and place over medium heat. (I find that by starting the bacon in a cold skillet, I can get it to render more fat than it does when I start it in a hot skillet, and that’s helpful for this recipe.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is cooked through but still tender. Add the kimchi, and cook for several minutes, until the kimchi is hot and maybe even beginning to brown in spots.

When the kimchi looks right, raise the heat to high, and add the rice, stirring well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for several minutes, until the rice is hot and beginning to brown. (If the rice is wanting to stick to the pan, it’s going to be hard to brown it properly, but don’t worry. Just make sure it’s nice and hot. It’ll still taste very good.)

Meanwhile, in another skillet, warm some butter and fry as many eggs as you’d like, seasoning with salt to taste.

When the rice is ready, stir in the butter and sesame oil, and season with salt to taste. Divide between two or three bowls, and top each with a fried egg or two. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

Molly, I want you to know I read this and *immediately* climbed up on my little kitchen stepladder and dug the rice cooker out from its over-the-fridge hibernation spot. Then I deliberated about making the two block to Ballard Market to fetch the kimchi. In fact, I'm still deliberating.

In Korea, the rice sticks to the pan, too. That means you're doing it right!

If you want an extra bit of deliciousness, get some 'kim" -- korea's version of nori but seasoned with sesame oil and salt -- and cut it into thin strips or small squares with scissors. Throw that in at the very end and mix it in. Delish!

I love how you did a Korean recipe. I lived in Korea for a year and a half, so I know how good Korean food is and how underrepresented it is in North America.

Other really good additions to the fried rice are finely diced potatoes.Starch on starch is frowned upon by western cooks...but in Asia they have no problem with it and it tastes bloody good. Give it a try.

The only thing I ever use a non-stick pan for these days is making crespelle for manicotti, but I am trying to get my DeBuyer crepe pan to be so slick, I can use that instead. Ever heard of the potato-peel seasoning method?

Not being very familiar with kimchee, I have only ever eaten a little here, a little there as a condiment. I will make a pot of rice this morning so it can chill all day, and I will hunt for kimchee when I go out.

This is a favorite Chinatown dish of my husband's, but reading your post has made me think: "I can totally make this." In fact, the husband is dead-set on making his own kimchi so I will wait until it's done.

Oh! This may just be the inspiration I needed to finally attempt to make my own kimchi. I've heard rumblings for years now and with the crazy heat/humidity mix here in Nebraska, anything that doesn't require me to turn on the oven is looking quite nice. :)

The Kimchi Fried Rice looks fabulous, can't wait to try it. But I actually had a dinnerware question for you: I absolutely love those white scalloped dishes of yours that always pop up in your photographs. I've searched everywhere but can't find anything that resembles them. Care to share what they are/where you purchased them from? Thanks a million!

If you want a real Korean experience eating this home, bring the pan to the table and everyone dive in with their spoon. This I think comes from the fact Kimchi fried rice is normally made when there's nothing else to eat in the fridge and you are too lazy to go to a grocery store. But Korean household will always have kimchi and rice, so you make fried rice. Why create more dished to do, when you feel so lazy, right? Also, Some food just taste better out of pot. Ramen noodle would one.

One of my old fried's mom used to put a dab of Korean red pepper paste at the end for more layer of flavor and color. It makes the fried rice taste extra good!

You can use any kind of processed meat item here or eleminate them all together. I often just make it with Kimchi only. Can of tuna, cut up hot dog, ham, spam... Did you know Spam is super popular, well loved in Asia?

Some people suggested toasted, seasoned Korean seaweed. Yes! So good with it!

With half a jar of leftover Kimchi in my fridge, I bumped into your blog today and this recipe. I knew what I had to do, follow it and had excellent results loved it ---- Yummy, thanks for sharing:)Cheers & will be back

Toss with udon noodles (the thick kind that you defrost in boiling water) instead of rice, and then add a little sesame oil, soy sauce, and nicely julienned cucumber on top at the end. You are going to thank me, believe me!

The most frequently used kitchen appliances here are the coffee maker, toaster and the rice cooker. No energy to go to the Ballard Market tonight. I'll definitely try this recipe later in the week. Thank you!

This is unrelated to the kimchi recipe, which I'm sure is good. I want to encourage all of you reading these recipes to get yourself to Delancey's! I am on my way to Portland from Edmonton Alberta and made sure that I stayed overnight in Seattle on the way in order to eat at Delancey's. I sat right at the bar watching Brandon put the pizzas into the oven and loved every minute of it. I had the sausage pizza and it was fabulous. The butterscotch pot de creme with banana whipped cream was wonderful. So don't just sit there, start driving!

Yum! I've been making various versions of kimchi fried rice ever since that podcast last year and it's become a staple in our house. When I don't have kimchi, I use homemade Russian-style sauerkraut and Sriracha hot sauce, which works really well too.

Hawaii is like the kim chi fried rice battle capital, in which we are all winners. I love the stuff. I always make fresh rice to make fried rice of any kind. Really, though, I think it doesn't hold a candle to bi bim bap (with kim chi) in a stone bowl. You've had that, right?

I JUST finished my kimchi fried rice for dinner, and it was deLICIOUS. I was lazy and on my way home from work, so I bought one of those Indian food packages of precooked brown rice. I had everything else at home (since reading kimchi is great for putting kind little bacteria in your body). And since I'm a vegetarian, I skipped the bacon. Very tasty AND I have left overs for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for the delicious recipe.

So you have been making this for a year and now you are telling us? What took you so long? :) I do have regular cabbage (lots of them) in the fridge. I might use up that one first and learn some fried rice skills that way!

I love kimchi - but I tend to forget about rice (I'm really fond of potatoes - with an occasional foray into brown rice). My partner likes kimchi too - and he has a birthday coming up - this might need to be his lunch that day!Thanks for the recipe and thanks a lot for the story.

The Koreans say kimchi is very good for one's health and I love the way they can make so many deliscious dishes out of a simple cabbage. Have you tried Korean style BBQ pork and kimchi wrapped in a fresh and crunchy piece of lettuce?

you have single-handedly turned from indifferent to addicted to cabbage, brussel sprouts and all things once bitter and now exquisite and sweet. I will try (and love) this rice, I'm certain. Thank you! We grow and sell organic veggies and I tell everyone to not underestimate the power of roasting or frying cabbage now.

As a fried rice devotee, the trick to making your fried rice not stick is

a) place the rice in the pan a little at a time, and scrape scrape scrape the bottom. Use your spatula like a shovel and keep flipping the rice around. Make little scrubbing motions and the grains moving. It really works.

b) add more oil--but add it in a little at a time (I use maybe 1/4 teaspoon every time it looks like it needs it) because there's nothing worse than oily fried rice.

c) use cold rice. I don't know why, but if I use cold, leftover rice instead of fresh rice, it tends to stick less.

I have excellent kim chi in the fridge. I CANNOT WAIT to try this recipe.

In college my roommate for all four years was Korean and everytime her mom came to visit she would make monsterious tubs of kimchi--it.was.amazing. So I'm pretty much obsessed with fermented cabbage to say the least. Thanks for the recipe!

we went Korean this weekend too! http://www.ian-pix.com/ginnys-kitchen/2011/5/29/nothing-says-party-like-a-big-bowl-of-meat.htmlwe didn't do fried rice but we did do kimchi with ssamjang and Korean BBQlove your blog and podcast!

I just made this for dinner, delicious! I used lap cheung (chinese sausage) instead of bacon and added some dried squid that I found at the same shop that sold me the kimchi. New addiction-dried squid cured in salt, sugar and chilli, yum! Oh yeah, and omelette strips on top. Thanks for the inspiration.

Molly, I so enjoy your blog and thank you so much for expanding my family's food horizons. I also read a blog from Alaska that as a wonderful discussion today about beets in the garden and on the table. I was most impressed with the comment about how beets can be made into pasta. There is a delightful recipe as well. http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/Hope you enjoy this!

I really enjoy your posts. The food available in the northwest is so different from what I am used to in the deep south. You have broadened my horizons. I am going to plant leeks this winter just so I can have more leeks vinagrette - yum.

Yum... I'm so happy to see a Korean comfort food on this blog! I grew up eating kimchee bokum bap with bacon. I'll add a couple of my own tweaks/suggestions: instead of scallions, my mom would saute some chopped onion with the bacon. And a fried egg on top is awesome but there were times that my mom would melt a slice of American cheese on top of a bowl of kimchee fried rice. I know it probably sounds disgusting but it really is quite good.

Fried rice has been on the list of things to try, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Thanks for reminding us all how delicious it can be, and for expanding our horizons of some flavors that work well.

I really love kimchi. And I'm gonna try this recipe real soon, honest. But I burned rice not twice today absentmindedly working in my garden. Our third rice try was a success and we should happily be eating kimchi fried rice with eggs from our henhouse tomorrow. Wish me luck!

hey, do you think thin sliced tofu would work? I'm vegetarian. Extra oil? Because the way you guys talked about it on spilled milk (i listened to it after i read your post... because i read your post...:) i really want to make it. it sounds good.

Here's the way to prevent the rice from sticking. First of all, the wok or cast iron skillet must be well seasoned. Secondly, the rice must be cooked and cold (don't bring it to room temperature). Thirdly, take out the other ingredients while you fry the rice. You must put in enough oil (I use peanut) to coat the rice. Get it hot. Stir fry the rice by itself. When you think you have fried it long enough, you haven't. Stir fry until it starts to brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Then put the other ingredients back in. The rice will not stick. Keep it moving. By the way, there is no stirring in stir frying. The technique is to scoop up the ingredients from the bottom of the wok with a spatula, lift it up and turn it over. Happy cooking!

kimchi fried rice was the first thing e ever made for me when we were dating. that first year was all kimchi fried rice and pj harvey and late nights. just thinking about it makes me smile... he always let me have the crispy bits from the bottom of the wok, which felt like love immediately :) looking forward to trying this version! hope all is well, molly! xo

Oh, delicious world, I can't wait to make this. What good timing: I keep hearing about kimchi fried rice from my boyfriend who gets it from a NY food truck, but I live in Philly so...I just dream about it. Now, maybe I can make him jealous. Thanx. xo

for when you don't feel like making kimchi fried rice, I recommend swingin by marination mobile or marination station on capitol hill. with a fried egg on top, it is the perfect lunch/late night snack.. yum yum delish.

Love the idea of kimchi fried rice.....with fried eggs. I have a question about the sesame oil. I get confused when recipes list sesame oil. Is it regular sesame oil, or toasted sesame oil? I have both but never know what is intended. 2 teaspoons seems like flavoring, hence I would think toasted. But perhaps regular sesame oil flavor is enough for the sesame/butter combo magic? Thanks, Kristine

I finally got around to making this. It was ridiculously good. I love how the creamy yolk of a well-fried egg plays with the spicy kimchi rice.

Do you think the quality of the kimchi particularly matters for making this? I happened to have some extra fancy, locally made stuff lying around, but I'm not sure that I want to empty an $8 jar of kimchi every time I make this (which, I hope, will be often).

I read your blog religiously but have never commented. After making this about once every two weeks (ok, sometimes once a week, if I'm being honest) for the last few months as my go-to lazy meal, I feel compelled to thank you for bringing it into my life! I've started adding cubed baked tofu a few minutes after the kimchi is added, and it works great.

I haven't even tasted it yet, but I made this tonight. About to eat it now. Used my new cast iron pan (actually an old one my mom got from a garage sale) from christmas for the first time! Also, first time commenting but I love Love LOVE your blog, and your book!!!!

Boyfriend, who normally waits for me to eat (as hospitality peeps we do this) says he already dug in.

Also, we added minced carrots, after the bacon was done, and scrambled the egg in there before the rice. With homemade kimchi :)

I stumbled upon this recipe the other day and made it last night for my family with local (for us) Vermont kimchi. Since my family includes a devastatingly picky 14 year old daughter who is "allergic" to the slightest hint of spice, and a perpetually hungry 17 year old son who really just wants to eat spaghetti with red sauce every night, I opted NOT to answer the "what's for dinner?" question with "Kimchi Fried Rice." Instead, I called it "Bacon Fried Rice with Fried Eggs," and wouldn't you know that they responded with moderately guarded enthusiasm, as opposed to the eye-rolling outrage I get with some of my less "normal" answers? And they both ATE IT UP, literally. Note to parents: marketing matters, and if you can incorporate the words "bacon," "fried" and even "rice" into what's for dinner, your teenagers will probably accept it. So I call that a success. I LOVED it, by the way, and will definitely be making it again.